Why Your Brand Needs User-Generated Content (& How to Get It)

User-generated content is already an important part of today’s marketing campaigns, and it’s only growing. In fact, some estimates peg the global UGC market at a value of $ 5.36 million and expect it to grow to $32.6 billion in the next six years.

But while UGC is cost-effective and can work wonders for brands, it’s not especially easy to achieve in marketing. 

It's challenging to get people excited enough about your brand or product that they’ll start creating content that engages their following. Working with the right influencers can definitely help, though, as they have access to loyal followers who trust them within their niche.

Let’s break down what exactly user-generated content is, why it’s important, and how it can be incorporated into your brand’s next marketing campaign.

What Is User Generated Content (UGC)?

User-generated content can be any type of content created by people who are not associated with a brand. UGC can refer to everything from reviews to tutorials to blogs and videos that generate engagement and promote your brand.

A report by Grandview Research estimated that the UGC market was growing at an annual rate of 29.4% as consumers increasingly seek genuine opinions on services or products. 

The difference between UGC and influencer marketing: Influencers have large followings and have built trust with their audience. They are typically paid or sponsored by brands to promote their products. Meanwhile, UGC is created by consumers or social media users who may have smaller followings but share their personal experiences with products, services, and brands.

Types of UGC

Everything from blogs, social media posts, videos, and podcasts can expand a brand or marketing campaign’s reach and build excitement and engagement. 

Customer Reviews

Positive reviews can hugely influence potential new customers, whether they see the reviews on YouTube, blogs, podcasts, or elsewhere. 

A 2024 study by Bright Local found that 75% of customers regularly or always read online reviews when browsing for local businesses, so having positive reviews created organically can have a major impact on driving sales.

Social Posts & Shared Posts

Across every social media platform, users generating their own content about a product or campaign is at the core of user-generated content. These posts drive engagement and increase your brand’s exposure.

Community Forums

Platforms like Reddit and Quora allow users to interact directly with others in their community. Discussions of topics and threads in these forums can lead to insightful discussions about products or campaigns that users highly value.

Podcasts

Podcasts have exploded in popularity, and 546.7 million listeners are expected in 2024. Listeners often feel strong connections with the podcasters they listen to regularly, and having podcasters discuss and/or review your brand and its products or services can provide great value.

Testimonials

Testimonials typically involve people providing genuine and truthful feedback about their experience with a product or service and can be extremely influential in purchasing decisions. Like word-of-mouth marketing, positive testimonials can generate high engagement with a broad audience.

Sources of UGC

There are two main sources of user-generated content: customer-generated content and employee-generated content. Both sources have advantages and disadvantages, and many successful marketing campaigns rely on both.

Customer Generated Content

When we talk about customer-generated content, we’re talking about any content created by customers, users, or fans that is publicly shared about your brand, product, or service. 

That can include a wide range of content, with everything from social media posts to reviews to blog posts, as long as it’s created by consumers who aren’t directly affiliated with a brand.

This content is highly effective because it is authentic and based on personal experiences with a product or brand. Other users know they’re receiving an honest assessment and opinion and that, in turn, builds trust and credibility.
Positive customer-generated content, such as positive reviews or effusive praise on a podcast, can be highly influential on consumers' buying decisions. It’s cost-effective, too, as brands can spend less on content creation, advertising, or partnerships if customers create positive content themselves.

Employee Generated Content

Employee-generated content is exactly what it sounds like. It’s content created by people who work for a brand or an organization that is shared externally about their products or services.

There are a lot of advantages to this sort of content. Brands control it, for one thing, so it can be professional and aligned with the brand’s tone while remaining personal and authentic. While customer-generated content is seen as authentic, brands don’t have control over what is being created, and there is a risk of negativity seeping in.

Employee-generated content can include blog posts about the company, behind-the-scenes content shared on social media, or photos and videos that highlight a brand’s values and work culture. All of these can help promote a company authentically. 

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Why Use UGC in Your Marketing?

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User-generated content is becoming increasingly foundational in modern marketing. It helps brands connect with the right audience, and the benefits are tangible. It can build connections with consumers that last far beyond the end of a campaign.

Build Trust

Why it’s important: According to the Consumer Trust Index, 92% of consumers trust user-generated content more than traditional advertising. UGC is seen as authentic and can tangibly drive purchasing decisions.

How it works: Whether it’s reading a review, blog or listening to a discussion about a brand or product on a podcast or YouTube show, consumers are getting genuine feedback from creators they trust. That can be invaluable, as trusted UGC can be as impactful as a recommendation from family or friends.

Improve Engagement

Why it’s important: Boosting customer engagement is an important tool for most marketing campaigns, and user-generated content is a great tool for achieving that. The Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: Brand Trust in 2020 found that 70% of respondents avoided traditional advertising altogether, with consumers increasingly engaging with experts and people they trust for information on brands and products.

How it works: Potential consumers are far more likely to engage with content that is seen as organic and authentic. User-generated content is more likely to be read, watched, listened to, and shared, thereby driving engagement.

Increase Brand Awareness

Why it’s important: Connecting directly with new customers is always challenging, but user-generated content boosts your brand’s awareness through word-of-mouth and sharing across social media platforms.

How it works: User-generated content is often shared organically, increasing its reach and engagement. When a customer speaks glowingly about a brand, friends and followers see and hear it, which in turn amplifies the brand’s reach beyond its usual channels.

Cost-Effective

Why it’s important: User-generated content isn’t paid for, so there aren’t any additional costs to the brand. The organic reach of UGC allows brands to reach new potential customers without spending the money that comes with traditional advertising and marketing campaigns.

How it works: Users create content independently for their followers. They maintain creative control of the messaging, but UGC is a great way of reaching new customers and consumers who might be difficult to impact without spending considerable funds on marketing.

Create a Social Community

Why it’s important: Creating a social community helps create connections between consumers and a brand, which fosters loyalty and makes users feel engaged and valued.

How it works: When users share authentic content about a brand, it creates a deeper and more interactive relationship between that company and its customers. Companies that share that content on their own social media channels show users that they’re valued, which can humanize a brand and make customers feel like they’re connected and not just one side of a transactional relationship.

Gain Insights

Why it’s important: While UGC is a valuable marketing tool, it also provides insights into what is and isn’t working for a brand. Even negative reviews can be helpful for identifying customer preferences and perceptions, and all UGC provides in-the-moment feedback.

How it works: Whether it’s a detailed review, a nuanced discussion on a podcast, or even complaints, UGC provides unfiltered and honest feedback. That information can be used to identify where products or services can be improved in real-time.

How MODERNSPEAK Can Help

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Working with an influencer management company like MODERNSPEAK is an excellent way of driving UGC. MODERNSPEAK partners your brands with influencers who thrive in your niche and have devoted followers who know they can trust their product advice and recommendations. 
MODERNSPEAK also has extensive experience working on marketing campaigns tailored to the specific niches of the brands we partner with and driving UGC. 

While influencer marketing and UGC are distinct concepts, managing campaigns that encourage followers to generate content themselves through tools like hashtags or contests can create a direct connection between brands and the audience they’re looking to engage with.

Case Study: Park Distillery

In 2024, Park Distillery launched two new gins: Alpine Dry and Flora & Fauna. Along with its exciting launch, the distillery partnered with MODERNSPEAK to increase product awareness among its targeted audiences in Alberta.

The campaign was a resounding success, and user-generated content was a big part of why. Here’s what happened:

• MODERNSPEAK launched an influencer marketing campaign featuring nine creators from Calgary and Edmonton, including sommeliers and cocktail enthusiasts. 
• They created niche content that was subsequently re-shared, with followers creating their own content at the same time. 
• This high-quality UGC enhanced in-house marketing efforts and was used by the brand to further promote its product.

The results spoke for themselves. The campaign generated an impressive organic reach of over 130K and 149K, with an impressive engagement rate of 12% that generated buzz among Albertan gin enthusiasts.

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Elevate Your Marketing with MODERNSPEAK

With a focus on transparency, excellence, and genuine care, MODERNSPEAK helps elevate brands by partnering them with the right influencers and managing campaigns that drive engagement and connect with consumers.

If you’re looking to make sure your next campaign incorporates user-generated content, MODERNSPEAK is here to help. Get started with us today by e-mailing us at hello@modernspeak.com or give us a call at 403-991-4988.